why me?

These are questions we tend to ask when things aren’t going the way we would desire for them to go.  Why me?  Why this? Why now? Justin Taylor posts an answer tree from David Powlison, “God’s Grace and Your Sufferings,”  in Suffering and the Sovereignty of God (pp. 172-173).. here is a paragraph from the middle, [...]

interview

here is an interview with a man that will likely not be alive at the end of this year. fascinating difference in perspective even though any of the rest of could die this year too. There is a tendency that’s especially strong in Calvinist circles to read Romans 8:28, “All things work together for the [...]

Matt Chandler

Matt Chandler’s surgery to remove a mass from his frontal lobe begins in about 20 minutes. Be in prayer for him during the surgery and for a complete recovery. Here is a post from Matt going into surgery about the things for which he is thankful. The beginning: The last seven days have been some [...]

Glory to God in suffering

Here is a video from John Jordan’s facebook page explaining further how God can be glorified in the midst of suffering. further information on this topic in II Corinthians 4:7-5:15 and Hebrews 10:32-39.

two on suffering

first courtesy of Vitamin Z we get this comforting bit that we will never be able to fully explain the problem of evil but that we can trust God anyway: So how do Christians explain the problem of evil? The reality is, we can’t provide an exhaustive theodicy or explanation of the existence of evil.  [...]

II Timothy 3:12

II Timothy 3:12 says “12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,”. Do you believe that? Do you believe that all means all and that persecution really means persecution? Really? here is a John Piper quote from Vitamin Z: “Obedience in missions and social justice has always [...]

more prosperity gospel

back to vitamin z for an update on Joel Osteen’s newest book. check it out: So, Joel Osteen sent us an email yesterday to let us know about his new book, It’s Your Time. Joel wanted us to know that we could achieve our dreams with his new book. That was the subject line, seriously. Here’s [...]

powerful stuff

Timmy Brister posted this video “Choosing Thomas” and like he says it is worth the next ten minutes of your time. somewhat related, Randy Alcorn talks here about the absolute necessity for Christians to have a well developed theology of suffering to avoid falling into serious error when something like the events in the video [...]

suffering as a tool to edify the church

Challies has another great post today. This one discussing Ligon Duncan’s exposition of how God uses suffering in our lives to build up the church. Go read the whole thing. So I guess this is something we ought to keep in mind in those times that God calls us to suffer. Our suffering is not [...]

theology of glory or theology of suffering?

Should Christ followers have a theology of glory or a theology of suffering? Horton makes the case that, according to the Bible, it should be the latter. Jesus knew why he came. It was not to help people find a little more happiness and success in life. In fact, his life was filled with suffering, [...]

the Good News of Recession

Matt Carter is doing a sermon series at the Austin Stone Community Church on the Biblical christian response to trials and suffering. I have listened to the April 26 message twice already and I highly recommend it. I have downloaded the May 3 one and I will listen to it on the way to work [...]

suffering

I noticed in the sidebar at the Straight Up blog a three part series on God’s role in suffering by Gerald Hiestand. Here is part three which contains links to the first two parts. Go check it out. I like these bits here especially well, but it is all good and very much worth a [...]

bart ehrman’s new book

Bart Ehrman has written a new book and Methodist bishop William H Willimon takes it down with style in this review. here is how the review begins, but take some time and go read the rest. Bart Ehrman has written another book that is probably destined to be a best seller. God’s Problem is a [...]

another thought for the day

Charles Spurgeon from Reformation 21: “Winter in the soul is by no means a comfortable season, and if it be upon thee just now it will be very painful to thee; but there is this comfort, namely, that the Lord makes it. He sends the sharp blasts of adversity to nip the buds of expectation: [...]

thought for the day

here is a cheerful thought for the day from the Ikonograph. The ironic thing here is that we don’t grow unless we hurt. Pain makes us evaluate what it is we cling to, and God wants to teach us to cling to Christ. Suffering forces the Christian to see that everything else is vanity, and [...]

D.A. Carson

Here is a quote from D.A. Carson via Vitamin Z about why Christians are surprised by suffering. Here is his first reason: We may get the balance of Scripture wrong. We remember the wonderful triumphs of Joseph, Gideon, and David; we meditate continuously on the miraculous healing of the man born blind, or on the [...]

Desiring God Regional Conference

Piper was good tonight. Looking forward to tomorrow’s session. We start at Job 32. Elihu is my favorite.

real persecution

Real persecution still exists and real christians are still being called upon to endure hardship. here is a hard to read story about one faithful pastor’s struggle along with his family. Pray for Pastor Bike Zhang and his family: October 16, 2008 BEIJING – ChinaAid has learned that Zhang Jian, the elder son of Pastor [...]

Death by love

Death by Love is out now. here is what Adrian Warnock says about it: Without in any way softening his commitment to the centrality of Jesus taking the punishment of sin in our understanding of the cross, Driscoll is far broader in his understanding of and application of the cross to hurting people’s lives today. [...]

More information on Suffering

More information is now available on the Desiring God Conference in Austin in October. Thanks to Creation Project for the heads up. Here is the scoop: Registration The registration fee is $25.00 per person if received on or before August 31, and $35.00 per person if received after August 31. There are no group discounts, [...]

Piper remembers Solzhenitsyn

John Piper has put up a remembrance of Alexander Solzhenitsyn with a quote from the Gulag Archipelago here is a portion of the quote, but go read Piper’s post for the whole thing as well as John’s prayer of gratitude for this man’s life: In my most evil moments I was convinced that I was [...]